Cancer claims Raylene Rankin

Rankins

Andrew MacNaughtan/The Canadian Press

The Rankins, (from left to right) Heather, Cookie, Jimmy and Raylene are shown in a handout photo. Raylene Rankin of the internationally acclaimed Nova Scotia musical group The Rankin Family has died after losing her fight with cancer.

HALIFAX - Raylene Rankin, one of the founding members of The Rankin Family, died Sunday morning.

Father Angus Morris of St. Marys Parish in Mabou confirmed the news, Nova Scotia media reported.

Rankin was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001. She was in remission until January 2012, when cancer reappeared, this time in her liver, forcing her to start treatment again, the Chronicle-Herald newspaper said.

Rankin is survived by her husband Colin Anderson and teenage son Alexander.

She was 52.

On his Twitter page, author, broadcaster and musician Jian Ghomeshi wrote he “had the fortune to play with the Rankins a few times in the ’90s. It is so very sad to lose Raylene. Always an inspired performer.”

Likewise, George Canyon tweeted, “My thoughts and heartfelt prayers to the the Rankin Family today for the loss of Raylene Rankin. She was one of the most incredible and gifted singers. She will be dearly missed.”